The invention relates in general to flat bed home knitting machines. More particularly, the invention relates to a knitting width indication system for home knitting machines.
Home knitting machines of the flat bed type are disclosed in many patent specifications, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,788-issued Feb. 15, 1972, U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,405-issued May 27, 1975, U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,718-issued Oct. 5, 1976 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,592-issued Nov. 16, 1976. Some fabric pieces, e.g., a front half piece, a back half piece and two sleeve pieces, can be knitted with the machines to make a complete article. Usually, cards or sheets having outline patterns for the fabric pieces and a knitting tracer having a pattern width measurement means are employed to determine the real knitting width on the flat needle bed. First, gauge setting for determining the traversal stitch numbers and the longitudinal fabric knitting step numbers for a transversal and longitudinal unit length of the fabric pattern on the card or sheet, respectively, is carried out. Thereafter, each width stitch number corresponding to each fabric knitting step is calculated, at each transverse movement of the carriage, using the knitting tracer to determine and select the operating needles on the needle bed at each fabric knitting step. That is, the operator reads out every width of the fabric piece outline pattern at every fabric knitting step with the knitting tracer, and then calculates the knitting needle numbers to be operated by the carriage. Needles to be operated by the carriage are manually set at a knitting operation position for every knitting step. Gauga setting, that is, the determination of the traversal stitch numbers for a transversal unit length of the fabric pattern on the card or sheet, as well as the calculation of the knitting needle numbers in every fabric knitting step, are relatively difficult for inexperienced persons. However the gauge setting and the calculation should be done correctly, because the fabric pieces are assembled in an article after fabrication, and mistakes in the gauge setting or the calculation will cause irregular formation.